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The '''Chinese Nationalist Party''', or '''Kuomintang''' (KMT), is a conservative party that currently rules [[Taiwan]]. In recent years it has supported pan-Chinese nationalism, democracy, Chinese reunification, and capitalism under the doctrine of the "three principles of the people." The Nationalists ruled China from 1927 until 1949 and then moved to Taiwan. The name translates literally as "China's national people's party." It has had strong support from American conservatives (Both Democrats and Republicans) since the 1930s.

The '''Chinese Nationalist Party''', or '''Kuomintang''' (KMT), is a conservative party that currently rules [[Taiwan]]. In recent years it has supported pan-Chinese nationalism, democracy, Chinese reunification, and capitalism under the doctrine of the "three principles of the people." The Nationalists ruled China from 1927 until 1949 and then moved to Taiwan. The name translates literally as "China's national people's party." It has had strong support from American conservatives since the 1930s.

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The party was initially founded in 1912, by [[Sun Yat-sen]]. It dissolved in 1913, then was restarted in 1919 by Sun Yat-sen, and became the ruling party in China. After Sun's death, the party was dominated from 1927 to 1975 by [[Chiang Kai-shek]]. When the Nationalists were defeated by the Communist Party, the party, together with most government officials, much of the army, anti-communist political activists and many business and cultural leaders evacuated to Taiwan. Until 1971, the UN and most non-communists governments recognized the Nationalist  government in Taipei as the legitimate government of China. In 1991, the Nationalists withdrew their claim to territory on the mainland. KMT leader Ma Ying-jeou was elected Taiwanese president in 2008 and reelected in 2012.

The party was initially founded in 1912, by [[Sun Yat-sen]]. It dissolved in 1913, then was restarted in 1919 by Sun Yat-sen, and became the ruling party in China. After Sun's death, the party was dominated from 1927 to 1975 by [[Chiang Kai-shek]]. Though the Nationalists lost a civil war to the Communist Party, the party, together with most government officials, much of the army, anti-communist political activists and many business and cultural leaders moved to Taiwan, and took control there since 1949.

The party is a member of the [[International Democrat Union]].

The party is a member of the [[International Democrat Union]].

In exile, Sun Yat-sen and other former Nationalists founded several revolutionary parties under various names but with little success. These parties were united by Sun in 1919 as the "Chinese Nationalist Party." The word "Chinese" was added to the name of the reorganized party to distinguish it from the original. The new party returned to Guangzhou in China in 1920 where it set up a government but failed to achieve control of all of China. After the death of Yuan Shikai in 1916, China fractured into many regions controlled by warlords.  

In exile, Sun Yat-sen and other former Nationalists founded several revolutionary parties under various names but with little success. These parties were united by Sun in 1919 as the "Chinese Nationalist Party." The word "Chinese" was added to the name of the reorganized party to distinguish it from the original. The new party returned to Guangzhou in China in 1920 where it set up a government but failed to achieve control of all of China. After the death of Yuan Shikai in 1916, China fractured into many regions controlled by warlords.  

After 1919 the Soviets based in Moscow energetically promoted Communism, and for a while formed an alliance with the KMT. [[Mao Zedong]], founded the [[Chinese Communist Party]] (CCP) in 1921 in Shanghai. The KMT, in precarious position, accepted Soviet money and military advisors in China. The Soviets made the CCP join the KMT, thus forming the First United Front. The KMT gradually increased its geographical controls from its Canton  base. Sun Yat-sen died in 1925.

After 1919 the Soviets based in Moscow energetically promoted Communism, and for a while formed an alliance with the KMT. [[Mao Zedong]], founded the [[Chinese Communist Party]] (CCP) in 1921 in Shanghai. The KMT, in precarious position, accepted Soviet money and military advisors in China. The Soviets made the CCP join the KMT, thus forming the First United Front. The KMT gradually increased its geographical controls from its Canton  base. Sun Yat-sen died in 1925.

==Chiang Kai-shek unites China==

==Chiang Kai-shek unites China==

Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975) became the KMT strongman and military leader. In 1926 Chiang led a military operation known as the "Northern Expedition" against the warlords that controled much of the country and defeated them. Next, Chiang tried to destroy the Communists, which had ruined his parties. In Shanghai, the leading city, in 12 April 1927 he purged and often executed the Communists in the KMT.<ref> The event is also known as the Shanghai Massacre of 1927. See Tien-wei Wu, "A Review of the Wuhan Debacle: the Kuomintang-Communist Split of 1927." '' Journal of Asian Studies'' 1969 29(1): 125-143 </ref> The Northern Expedition proved successful and the Kuomintang came to power throughout China (except Manchuria) in 1927 with Chiang the unelected strong-man or dictator. The capital of China was moved to [[Nanjing]] in order to be closer to the KMT's strong base in southern China.

Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975) became the KMT strongman and military leader. In 1926 Chiang led a military operation known as the "Northern Expedition" against the warlords that controled much of the country and defeated them. Next, Chiang tried to destroy the Communists. In Shanghai, the leading city, in 12 April 1927 he purged and often executed the Communists in the KMT.<ref> The event is also known as the Shanghai Massacre of 1927. See Tien-wei Wu, "A Review of the Wuhan Debacle: the Kuomintang-Communist Split of 1927." ''Journal of Asian Studies'' 1969 29(1): 125-143 </ref> The Northern Expedition proved successful and the Nationalist government gained control throughout China (except Manchuria) in 1927, with Chiang as leader. The capital of China was moved to [[Nanjing]], a city that previously served as capital for the [[Ming dynasty]] and for Sun Yat-sen in 1912.

The party was always concerned with strengthening Chinese identity at the same time it was discarding old traditions in the name of modernity. In 1929, the KMT government suppressed the textbook ''Modern Chinese History,'' widely used in secondary education. The Nationalists were concerned that, by not admitting the existence of the earliest emperors in ancient Chinese history, the book would weaken the foundation of the state. The case of the ''Modern Chinese History'' textbook reflects the symptoms of the period: banning the textbook strengthened the Nationalists' ideological control but also revealed their fear of the New Culture Movement and its more liberal ideological implications.

The party was always concerned with strengthening Chinese identity at the same time it was discarding old traditions in the name of modernity. In 1929, the KMT government suppressed the textbook ''Modern Chinese History,'' widely used in secondary education. The Nationalists were concerned that, by not admitting the existence of the earliest emperors in ancient Chinese history, the book would weaken the foundation of the state. The case of the ''Modern Chinese History'' textbook reflects the symptoms of the period: banning the textbook strengthened the Nationalists' ideological control but also revealed their fear of the New Culture Movement and its more liberal ideological implications.